Lat 16° 6' 0N Long 120° 31' 0E
City located between Lingayen and San
Fabian.
General MacArthur landed at Bonuan (Blue Beach) on the coast of
Dagupan January 12, 1945 three days after the initial American
landing, to officially return to Luzon. He walked
the Fernandez Avenue, and stayed at the West Central Elementary
School in the center of Dagupan.
Dagupan Museum
This
museum is free and is located in the center of town, across from
the town hall and park. Inside the second story of the building
is a small collection of historical artifacts from the city cathedral
prior to renovation and several WWII era relics of helmets. Also,
there are large copies of WWII photos taken when MacArthur
landed and toured around the town.
Rail Road Locomotive
Outside
in a park is a locomotive #17 that used to travel on the rail line
that began in Manila and terminated in Dagupan. The southern
part of this rail road was used most infamously to transport
American and Filipino POWs from San Fernando to Camp O'Donnel. Today
the rail road line is abandoned. The Dagupan rail road station remains,
also abandoned are across the street from the SSS / Phil Am Life
Insurance building.
West
Central Elementary School
This elementary school is located across from the museum. This
school is still in use to this day as an elementary school. It was
at this location that MacArthur
was photographed speaking to Filipinos.
'MacArthur
House'
At
the school, he stayed in an old house located to the north
side of the school, known afterwards as the 'MacArthur House'. Today,
the house is used by the school as a home economics building
and pre-school, but is open to visitors for free tours, see
the school's principal for access. The building is
in deteriorating condition. All the room were used
by MacArthur, including the large bath tub on the second
floor.
Bonuan
(Blue Beach)
Beach at Dagupan where US Army forces landed on January 9, 1945 and MacArthur
landed with cameras rolling on December 12, 1945. Today, on the beach there
is a memorial plaque, and statue of General Douglas Macarthur.
Luzon
Landing Plaque
A
small memorial ringed by bullet shaped chain fence reads:
"Luzon Landing - On this shore, known as Blue Beach, Bonuan, Dagupan City,
the first combat troops of the sixth army of the United States of America under
the command of General Douglas MacArthur landed on 9 January1945 to liberate
the island of Luzon thus fulfilling his promise to the Filipino people: 'I shall
return' "
Macarthur
Statue
Located at the edge of the beach, beach at Donuan, just outside Dagupan is
this statue of General Douglas Macarthur. In 2003, the park was semi-overgrown,
and decrepit. Plaques on the base of the statue read: 'Defenders of Bataan
and Corregidor' and 'WWII Guerillas - It Can Be Done'.
Dagupan Cathedral
Catholic Church in Dagupan. Wartime photo January 1945 by Carl Thien. Present day photo 2005 by Virgima Revita.
